The Journey of a Budding Socialite Way Uptown

I love jazz. I don’t have a favorite song or artist, I just love the sound. I have literally spent hours just listening to my jazz station on Pandora. It just puts me in a good mood. So, when I saw that Lincoln Center’s jazz orchestra was performing right here in the Bronx at Woodlawn Cemetery, I knew I had to attend. As a well-known final resting place for many famous musicians, the venue was the perfect venue for the show.

Led by the cool, calm, collected (and clever!) Wynton Marsalis, the orchestra kicked off the show with “The Dippermouth Blues.” The instruments were so crisp and clear, it almost sounded like a recording! The orchestra also covered songs from the likes of W.C. Handy, Duke Ellington (who is buried at the cemetery), Miles Davis, Celia Cruz, and Florence Mills. One of my favorite parts of the show was when Ali Jackson covered a Max Roach song. The rhythm of the drums captivated the crowd as it toyed with a steady, rumbling beat and switched to a low, rain-like pitter patter.

This was my first time visiting Woodlawn Cemetery and when I told some of my friends they all pause like “Oh…a cemetery…okay…” but just from the small glimpse I got walking in from the gate to the concert site, was enough to let me know I need to return ASAP. Though the concert was in honor of the cemetery’s 150th anniversary, I hope they consider hosting more live shows, because it’s such a great outdoor space.